This article is part of the ‘League Preview’ series, in which every day we take a detailed look at one of Aldershot Town’s 23 prospective opponents for the upcoming National League season.
Today’s focus is the last club to be promoted into the Football League while not technically being completely full-time, 2020/21 National League champions, Sutton United.
Founded in 1898, ‘the Yellow’ have spent the vast majority as heavyweights in local semi-professional leagues, boasting five Isthmian League titles. However, an unstoppable surge to form saw three league titles in ten years, as well as a now-famous FA Cup run that brought Arsenal to South London, putting Sutton on the footballing map.
Entering their second-successive step-one season following relegation from League Two, tasked with returning the side to the briefly seen heights of EFL membership is former Millwall, Norwich and Leeds forward Steve Morrison, who has been in post since January 2024.
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Where is Sutton?
The principal town in the London Borough of the same name, Sutton is situated in the very south of England’s capital. With a population of roughly 210,000, Sutton is the the fourth-smallest of Greater London’s 32 boroughs. Approximately 37 miles from the EBB Stadium, this 1h 9m journey will mark Aldershot’s second-closest away trip of the upcoming league season.
The U’s are one of 16 professional teams in London, though just one of two currently competing in this year’s Enterprise National League, alongside Wealdstone. Geographically, closest rivals include AFC Wimbledon, Crystal Palace and Woking. Outside of the capital, Sutton currently serves as the closest place to see fifth-tier football or higher in large parts of neighbouring Surrey, including the towns of Redhill (~33,000 pop), Epsom (36,000), and most notably, Molesey (47,000).
Sutton United play their home matches at the VBS Community Stadium, otherwise known as Gander Green Lane. Opened in 1912, outside of wartime, the ground has been the uninterrupted home of the Yellows for over a century, and is now also the home of Crystal Palace Women. With a capacity of 5,013, it is the seventh-smallest ground in this season’s National League.
Sutton finished the 2024/25 season with an average league attendance of 2,638, the ninth-highest among teams currently competing at step-one.
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Recent history and club highlights
Despite relegation in 2024, the past ten years can undoubtedly be looked back upon as among the greatest in the club’s long history. A seventh-tier side as recently as 2011, the club achieved three league titles in eleven seasons to become a Football League club for the very first time in 2021.
2024/25 – National League (12th)
2023/24 – League Two (23rd, Relegated)
2022/23 – League Two (14th)
2021/22 – League Two (8th)
2020/21 – National League (1st, Promoted)
2019/20 – National League (15th)
2018/19 – National League (9th)
2017/18 – National League (3rd)
2016/17 – National League (12th)
2015/16 – NL South (1st, Promoted)
Their record league placement remains their maiden season in the fourth-tier, with the club finishing just one point shy of a play-off place in 2021/22. Unfortunately for the South Londonders, results have regressed year-on-year ever since.
While the side’s foray into full-time is a permanent change, supporters of a certain age will look back fondly on the U’s existence as Isthmian League heavyweights. With five league titles across four decades, only Wycombe Wanderers and Enfield (both 8) boast more in their current iterations.
Outside of league action, Sutton made themselves known to the footballing world in 2016/17, as a dream FA Cup run that saw them beat Dartford, Cheltenham Town, AFC Wimbledon and Leeds United earned the Yellows a lucrative home tie against Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal. Welcoming the likes of Theo Walcott, Granit Xhaka and Alexis Sanchez to Gander Green Lane, the step-one side held the Gunners to a respectable 2-0 scoreline. However, the match was arguably overshadowed by off-pitch events, as the now infamous ‘pie-gate’ scandal made national news.
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Pre-season, incoming transfers and other news
At time of writing, Sutton have made 13 first team signings.
| Player | Pos. | Age | Arriving from… | Highest level played |
| Ashley Nadesan | CF | 30 | Gillingham | League One (Fleetwood) |
| Kane Crichlow | CM | 24 | Chelmsford | NL South (Chelmsford) |
| Will Tizzard | CB | 22 | Queen’s Park | Sco. Championship (Queen’s Park) |
| Brandon Njoku | CF | 20 | Cambridge Utd. | League One (Cambridge) |
| Aaron Jones | RB | 31 | Aldershot Town | MLS (Phil. Union) |
| Mo Dabre | RW | 22 | Tonbridge Angels | NL South (Tonbridge) |
| Liam Vincent | LM | 22 | Tonbridge Angels | National League (Bromley) |
| Harry Phipps | CB | 26 | Dag & Red | National League (D&R) |
| Jaiden White | RW | 23 | Hereford | NL North (Kidderminster) |
| David Aziaya | GK | 20 | Bromley | Irish 1st Div. (Finn Harps) |
| Mehmet Halim | CF | 18 | West Ham U18 | N/A |
| Edon Pruti | CB | 23 | Slough Town | League Two (Hartlepool) |
| David Ogbonna | LW | 23 | Slough Town | NL South (Slough) |
With eleven players leaving the club, it is unsurprising that the U’s have been among the busiest clubs in this summer’s transfer window. Bringing in personnel of all ages and previous professional background’s, only time will tell how Steve Morrison organises his new look Yellows.
Shots supporters will already be fully aware of their most lucrative arrival, as former club captain Aaron Jones arrives at the club having only lifted the FA Trophy in May.
Sutton’s current pre-season schedule, which has so far seen them beat two third-tier opponents, is as follows:
Sutton United 1-0 Wycombe Wanderers (15/07)
Sutton United 2-0 AFC Wimbledon (19/07)
Sutton United 4-2 Crystal Palace U21 (26/07)
Sutton United 2-6 Millwall (29/07)
Hampton & Richmond Borough vs Sutton United (02/08)
After preparations conclude with a visit to nearby Hampton & Richmond, Sutton are scheduled to begin their league campaign with a hefty trip to North Yorkshire, playing York City away on Saturday, 9th August.
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When will Aldershot and Southend play each other?
Following the release of the National League fixture list, the Shots will pay a festive visit to South London on Friday, 26th December, while Tommy Widdrington’s men will have to wait until Easter weekend to host the U’s, on Friday, 3rd April.
The sides first met in 62 years ago, with Aldershot FC romping to a 4-0 away win in the first round of the 1962/63 FA Cup. The Yellows would get their own back in the very same round in 1987, causing a 3-0 upset at Gander Green.
They would finally compete in league action ahead of the 1998/99 Isthmian Premier League season, following Aldershot Town’s promotion from Division One the previous campaign. A remarkably strong Yellows side would do the double over the Shots that year, winning 2-1 and 5-0 on their way to the title.
Since then the clubs have met a further 19 times, including eleven fifth-tier ties…
Games played: 21
Aldershot wins: 6
Sutton wins: 8
Draws: 7
Aggregate score: 25-29
Record Shots victory: 3-0 (2001)
Record Sutton victory: 5-0 (1998)
The sides last met in April, where a visiting Sutton claimed a point at the EBB Stadium. Liam Simper’s opener was cancelled out by a second-half striker from Josh Barrett, with nothing further to separate the two on the day.
